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His mission is to spread spiritualism

His mission is to spread spiritualism

Author: Bhama Devi Ravi
Publication: The Hindu
Date: May 30, 2003

Many may not be aware that a centuries old rare commentary on the four Vedas is available in the libraries overseas.  The author of this exceptional body of work is none other than Sri Maadhava Tirtha, one of the four direct disciples of Sri Madhwacharya, exponent of the Dwaita philosophy.  This preceptor expounded the Dwaita philosophy based on the tenets of the Upanishad.  This doctrine is founded on the theory of separateness of entities, which retain their distinctiveness but are dependent on God.  Sri Maadhava Tirtha, with his command over the Vedas was a favourite disciple of the apostle, and went on to found the Maadhava Tirtha Samasthanam, at Thambiballi, near Kolar, in Karnataka - a venerable institute of renown, now over 700 years old.

The present Head of the Math is the 71 -year old Sri Vidya Sagara Maadhava Tirtha Swamy who is now in Chennai.  The twenty-fifth Head of the Peetam in an unbroken chain of command, the present pontiff is an erudite scholar with consummate mastery over five languages - Tamil, Telugu, Kannada, Sanskrit and English.

His translation of Pampa's "Bharata" in Kannada and Nannaya's work in Telugu has been hailed by the intelligentsia and devotees.  His treatise has opened a wide vista for scholars to further research on Vyasa's work.  The Pitatipathy's Telugu play, "Devaram Priya", traces the story of Emperor Asoka, his earlier cruelty and subsequent Satvik philosophic outlook, "Mahabharata Tatparya Niranya" is the pontiffs commentary on the work of Sri Madhwacharya, written in Telugu, in order to place it within the reach of the common man.

The entire philosophy of the Madhva preceptor is encapsulated in the poetic work of "Harikata Mridusara" and the head of the Math has translated these kritis too.  Sri Vidya Sagara Maadhava Tirtha also launched a trilingual magazine Dharmadeepika which is a ready reckoner for one and all.  He is also the author of over 50 short stories.  He strongly believes that despite the influence of Western fiction, the intrinsic self in devotees is always tuned in to Indian ethos - spiritual and cultural.

In his one and a half year tenure, Sri Maadhava Tirtha has been travelling extensively with the mission of spreading spiritualism far and wide.  "Peetams should attract devotees by way of religious discourses and reinforce beliefs," says the Swami.  He delivered a series of lectures in English this week on the Mahabharata to an enlightened audience.  He also interacts with devotees who call on him at the camp.  Accompanying him are the idols of the Math, including Veera Rama the presiding deity venerated by Sri Madhvacharya and subsequently handed over to his favourite disciple, Sri Maadhava Tirtha. Other idols include Digvijay Rama, so named after the idol, was found nodding His head to Sri Maadhava Tirtha's resourceful arguments during a polemical debate, Yoga Patika Nrisimha, the idol uncovered by Sri Maadhava Tirtha, at Ahobilam, from an ant hill after Lord Nrisimha appeared to him in a dream.

Last but not the least is the Udipi Krishna idol cast by Sri Maadhava Tirtha himself, a replica of the original.  The daily devotional rituals are observed even when he is at the camp.

Cautioning against the influence of "skeptical literature" he feels "only our epics offer peace" to the mind tormented by emotions.

Despite numerous invitations from devotees in the U.S. and elsewhere, the pontiff declares that he "cannot stay for even a day away from the air of the soil... and the water of this earth," confining himself to travels within India and offering succour to devotees.  The hurdles are many, paucity of fund, being a major cause of concern for the Math.

The Pitatipathy is focussing on starting a gurukulam in Chennai, in order to initiate the young on the right path.  Resources are a challenge but he reposes total faith in God and in the devotees.
 


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